The invention relates to a belt and more specifically to utility belt to be worn around a person's waist and having structure on its outer surface for attaching and carrying articles such as tools or equipment. The utility belt is designed to support the articles or equipment close to the body and has structure to expedite the exchange or transfer and the use of these tools for the purpose of accomplishing work tasks or toteage requirements. Specialized receiviers, receptacles, pockets, hooks, holders, and so forth can be readily attached to the belt by utilizing the snap-lock assemblies whose female portion is permanently attached to the belt and whose male portion is attached to the tool or equipment receiver to be carried.
In the past, the standard structure for carrying tools or equipment has been through the use of tailored pouches or pockets utilized as receivers. A belt usually made of leather or fabric was inserted through a loop or aperture manufactured in the receiver and in this manner the belt and receivers were worn around the waist of the user.
The belts of the present state of the art have several disadvantages and some of these are as follows. (1). The removal of the receivers first necessitates the removal of the belt off of the waist of the user (since the belt is "threaded" through the loop or aperture in the receivers) and then the disengagement of the receivers from the belt. A lack of utility and an unnecessary consumption of time results from such a lengthy process. (2) The receivers are affixed to the belt in a manner which allows them to slide the entire length of the belt when encircled around the waist of the user, thus in a forward prone position a user can experience the receivers shift location abruptly and the contents therein dislodged. (3) The leather and fabric materials used in the present belt systems do not exhibit the inherent torsional stiffness which would prevent distorsion from occuring in the belts shape, contributing to this distorsion is the present belts minimal thickness which rarely exceeds 1/4 inch in dimension. (4) Therefore with insufficient torsional stiffness and thickness in the belts material characteristics and dimensions, rolls, sags, twists, and depressions can form parallel to the plane of the users waist, predominately near the receivers, and of a proportion which is linked to the amount of weight and load transfered by the receivers to the belt in this region. Since the receivers are generally worn at the users side near the pelvic hip area, these distorsions in the belt come into contact with the users flesh (though separated by clothing if so worn) and can cause discomfort and pain. The clothing (shirt, pants) does not serve to minimize this substantial abrasive contact caused by the distorsions. (5) The distorsions become more pronounced and severe with time and use, a correlation attributable to the common material composition of the belt systems which are inadequate to prevent stretching, flexure, or convolution. (6) Another disadvantage to the present systems is that the belt must be worn tightly around the users waist otherwise the belt and receivers would slip off of the torso even with modest loading. (7) Inevitably this downward slipping of the belt and receivers results in the users pants slipping down off of the waist also. This effect is awkward and discomforting as well time consuming to remedy. (8) The necessity to wear these present systems quite tightly is due to their inability to bear load properly upon the body frame. (9) Furthermore, in many construction trades a large quantity of tools are worn, therefore this necessitates the wearing of suspenders or straps over the shoulders to help bear the weight which the present belt and receiver systems are incapable of supporting singularly. (10) The present belt systems belt buckle is positioned in the front of the user's abdomen, this substantially unprotected contact can cause gouging and irritation thus discomfort to the user.
It is an object of the invention to provide a novel utility belt which can facilitate the rapid and simplistic removal or attachment of the receivers.
It is also an object of the invention to provide a novel utility belt having structure to provide secure mounting of the receivers on the belt to prevent shifting or dislodgement of the articles contained therein.
It is another object of the invention to provide a novel utility belt which provides comfort along the entire surface in contact with the user's body.
It is another object of the invention to provide a novel utility belt that has sufficient torsional characteristics to present a flush surface in contact with the user's body which will not exhibit rolls, sags, twists and depressions.
It is another object of the invention to provide a novel utility belt that can be worn less tightly than present belt systems.
It is a further object of the invention to provide a novel utility belt that provides greater load bearing capacity, therefore eliminating the need for additional support means such as suspenders or straps.